Attritive cleaning and finishing device



Feb, 18, 1947.

G. C. H. PERKINS ATTRITIVE CLEANiNG AND FINISHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed June 30, 1945 INVENTOR GEORGE C.H. PERKINS ATTORNEY Feb. 18,1947. e. c. H. PERKINS ATTRI'I'IVE CLEANING AND FINISHING DEVICE FiledJune 30, 1945 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 FIG ' INVENTOR GEORGE C .H. PERKINSATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1947 'v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,415,844a r'rn'fr'lvia CLEANING 'Fmi'sfimo DEVICE George G. *H. Perkins, SouthHamilton, Mass.

Application June 30, 1945, Serial No. 602,633

(Granted under the act of ll/larch 3, 1883, as amended-April 30, 1928;370 O. G. 757) -9 Claims.

invention relates to a finishing device. It has todo, more particularly,with a device for finishing the exterior surface of an elongatedmembe'nsuch as a tube, rod'or similar member b'y'cleanin'g and smoothingit. It Will be described with particular reference to the cleaning andsmoothing of the exteriors of tube joints preparatory to tinning or asimilar operation, but it is to'be understood that my device is capableof many o'ther rises.

Iii-"installing refrigerating equipment, tincoateditubes are employedfor sanitary reasons as is wellknown. In joining the tubes, it is commonpractice to solder the joints. Soldering the joint results in removal ofsomeof the tin at the joint, in corrosion and pitting due to the use ofthe flukjand the solder itself presents a rough and pittedsu'rface. Thenet result is an unsightly and unsanitary surface which must be tinned.To tin the surface it is first necessary to smooth, clean and'polish itsot'hat the tin will adhere. This is commonly done by a slow tediousprocess of hand filing which is especially diiiicult in the limitedspace usually present in refrigerator installations. I 7

One 'of the objects of my invention is to provide a device which is ofsimple structure but which is very effectivefor cleaning and smoothingthefexterior surface of an elongated member.

Another object of myinvention .is to provide a finishing "device whichis quickl and easily adaptable for use on members having varioussizes'a'nd shapes of cross-section.

,A further object of my invention is to provide a'device of the typeindicated which may be applied to and removed from the object to beoperated upon quickly and with ease.

Still another object of my invention is to providea'device of this typewhich is so constructed that it may be used even where the space aroundthe object to be operated upon is very limited.

In its preferred form, my invention comprises a finishing device formedof a plurality of cooperating housing'sections whichare secured tometalgrit. Air jets are provided in association With the chamber forcreatingturbulence within 2 the chamber to cause the abrasive substanceto contact or impinge upon the object and thereby clean' and polish it.Venting'means is provided in associa'ti'on with the chamber forpermitting continuous circulation of air.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate2- orresponding parts and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my cleaning and s'moothing'device.

Fig. 2 is an-end view of-my device.

Fig. '3 isapla'nview of my device, showing it "open but in associationwith a tube to be treated.

maybe part of refrigerating equipment and may have the joint 4 whichneeds to be thoroughly cleaned and smoothed sothat it can be tinned.This tube may be 50' mounted in the refrigeration installation that itis relatively inaccessible and there is limited space around it.However, my

device may be easily and quickly fastened around the tube even inlimited space. I

Each of the sections I and 2 is mainly" of cylin'izlrical form but hasone of its longitudinal side's open-and flattened, (Fig. 4). 'Thesections I and 2 are hinged together at these open "sides by means ofthe longitudinally disposed hinge 5. Opposite the hinge 5 is a clamp 6for holding the two sections in cooperative relationship when they ares'wung together. "This clamp comprises a wire loop 1, (Figs. 1, 2, and4), which is pivoted to an upstanding lug 8 on the section 2. This loophas on its free end a wedge member 9'which is mounted for rockingmovement thereon "and which may be rocked by means of a'handle itcarried thereby. "The wedge member 9 cooperates with a pair ofupstanding pins H which are The wedge member 9 will fit upon propermanipulation of loop I and handle it).

"The end walls of each of the sections land 2 of the sections I and 2are provided with semicircular notches I4 and I5 (Fig. 2) which, whensections I and 2 are swung together, provide a circular opening in eachend of the device. In association with the notches I4 and I5 aresemicircular washer retainers I6 and I! (Figs. -1, 2, 3, and 5) whichare secured removably in position by a series of nuts and bolts I8carried by the ends of sections in a manner which will be explainedhereinafter. These nuts and bolts are adapted to retain in positionaround the notches, flexible segmental sealing washers I9 and 29. Thewashers extend inwardly beyond the edges of the notches. Thus, theyserve as a flexible ring for gripping the tube 3 or other objects to betreated. To fit different sizes of tubes, it is merely necessary toremove the washers and replace them with others of appropriate size. Orif the object is not of circular cross-section but is of differentcross-sectional shape, washers of corresponding size and shape are to beused.

Each of the housing sections I and 2 is provided with a venting meanscomprising a tube 2| which constitutes an inner wall. The tubular wall2| extends from one end of the housing section to the other and isconcentric with and parallel to the outer wall of the housing section.The

ends of the tubular wall 2| are disposed in circular openings 22.formedin the fiat end walls of .the housing sections.

Each of the tubes 2| is formed of an inner semicylindrical imperforate.wall' section 23 (Fig, 2) and an outer semi-cylindrical foraminatedwall section 24. The wallsection 24 is composed of an inner coarsescreen member 25 (Fig. 5) and an outer fine screen member 26. Thesescreens are disposed in overlapping relationship and their long edgesare slipped into slots 21 (Fig, 2) formed in the edges of section 23.When the tubes 2| are disposed in openings 22 in the end walls ofsections I and 2, the wall section 23 will merely extend thereinto whilethe ends of the foraminated wall section 24 will be bent into overlap.-

ping relationship with the edges of theopenings I5, as indicated at 28(Fig. 5).

One of the bolts of the bolt and nut units I8 (Fig. 5) is carried oneach end. of the imperforate inner wall section 23 and the inner end ofthe bolt may be welded in a receiving notch 29 formed therein for thispurpose. Thetubes 2| will be positioned in the housing sections I and 2before the washers I9 and 20 and retainers I6 and I! are positioned onthe device. The remaining bolts of the unit I8 are carried by the flatend wallsof the housing sections land 2. It will be apparentthat thetubes 2| may be easily and quickly removed and replaced. It is merelynecessary to remove thenuts of units I8 and then the retainers IE and I1and washers I9 and 20. If one of the bent ends 28 of each Wall section24 is now bent back to its original position, the tubes can be slippedout of the housing sections. Then, if necessary, the screens 26 can bereplaced with new screens.

It will be apparent from Fig. 4 that when the two housing sections I and2 are swung together around the tube 3, there is produced a continuouschamber 30 in the form of a figure eight. This chamber is adapted toreceive the attritive or abrasive substance, such as metal grit, shot,sand, etc. To create turbulence and cause this abrasive to impinge uponthe tube 3, I provide a series of air jets.

One series of air jets is provided on the clamp side of the housingsection 2.. This series com- 4 prises individual jets 32 (Fig. 4)extending through the outer wall of section 2 and directed tangentiallyof the tube 2|, disposed therein, towards the tube 3. A second series ofoppositely directed jets is provided in the hinge side of section I.This second series comprises individual jets 34 which extend through thewall of section I and are directed tangentially of the tube 2|, disposedtherein, towards the tube 3. The jets of each series are disposed atlongitudinally spaced intervals (Fig. 1) and are connected to a manifold35. Each manifold 35 may be suitably connected by a hose 36 to a sourceof air under pressure.

When my device is positioned on an object to be treated, such as the tub3, and compressed air is supplied through the series of jets intochamber 30, as shown in Fig. 4, great turbulence will be created in thechamber and the attritive or abrasive substance will be picked up by thecurrents of air. This substance will travel in the manner indicated byth full-line arrows and the air in the manner indicated by thedotted-line arrows. The air from the jets 32 will cause the substance tostrike or impinge upon the top surface of tube 3 and some of it tocontinue to travel around the tube 2| in housing section I. This streamof air and substance will travel downwardly until picked up by the airfrom the jets 34 which will cause the substance to impinge upon thebottom of the tube 3. Some of the air and substance will continue totravel beneath the tube 2| in housing section 2 and upwardly until it isagain picked up by the jets 32. This course of travel will be repeatedover and over. By rotating the device on the tube 3, from time to time,the entire circumference of the tube will be subjected to the cleaningand smoothing action. Excess air will escape from chamber 30 through theforaminated wall section 24, and then will travel lengthwise of thetubes 2| in both directions out of their ends. After the operation iscompleted, the device may be removed from the tube by releasing clamp 6and swinging sections I and 2 apart.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided adevice which is very effective for cleaning and smoothing variousobjects for any purpose. It is of such a nature that it can be easilyand quickly applied to or removed from the object. It can be readilyadapted to articles of various shapes and sizes. It can be used withease on an object even where the space around the object is verylimited, and will produce a smooth, clean, and polished surface on theobject.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim is:

1. A finishing device comprising a unit for embracing the object to beoperated upon, said unit embodying a plurality of cooperating sectionsadapted to form a chamber around the object when disposed in associationtherewith, meansfor holding said sections together, said chamber beingadapted to contain an attritive substance, oppositely directedv jets forsupplying fluid under pressure within said chamber for creatingturbulence to cause said ubstance to travel around in said chamber andto contact the object, and venting means for said chamber for permittingescape of excess air.

2. A finishing device comprising a unit for embracing an elongatedobject to be operated upon, said unit embodying a plurality ofcooperating sections adapted to form a chamber around the object whendisposed in association therewith, means for holding such sectiontogether, said chamber being adapted to contain an attritive substance,jets for supplying fluid under pressure within said chamber for creatingturbulence to cause said substance to travel around in said chamber andto contact the object, and venting means for said chamber.

3. A finishing device comprising a, unit for embracing an elongatedobject to be operated upon, said unit embodying a pair of hollowsections adapted to extend longitudinally of the object, each of saidsections being of substantially cylindrical form but having one of itslongitudinal sides open, said sections having their open sides disposedadjacent each other and being hinged together for swinging movement intoand out of embracing relationship with said elongated object, the endwalls of said sections having cooperating notches for embracing theobject, fastening means for holding said sections together, each of saidsection having a tubular inner wall spaced from its outer wall andextending the full length thereof and adapted to be disposed parallel tothe object when the device is associated therewith, said cooperatingsection-s having a continuous chamber around the object and around thetubular inner walls thereof which is adapted to contain an attritivesubstance, an inwardly directed air jet in the outer wall of one of saidsections, an inwardly directed air jet in the opposite outer wall of theother of said sections, said tubular inner walls of said sections beingprovided with perforations to permit escape of excess air.

4. A device according to claim 3 including mean for removably mountingsealing washers in association with said notches for contacting saidobject.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein a series of each of said airjet is provided at longitudinally spaced intervals of the sections.

. 6. A device according to claim 3 wherein said tubular inner walls areremovably mounted in said sections.

7. A device according to claim 3 wherein said tubular inner wall areremovably mounted in said sections, and each of said walls comprises asemi-cylindrical inner imperforate section having slots in its edgeswhich receive the edges of a semi-cylindrical perforate section.

. 8. A device according to claim 3 wherein said air jet is directedsubstantially tangentially of the tubular inner wall of said sectionwith which it is associated.

9. A device according to claim 2 including sealing means removablymounted at each end of the chamber for embracing the object.

GEORGE C. H. PERKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 332,849 British July 31, 1930

